Seed Fund

The OFI Seed Fund supports ocean-related projects that offer high potential for innovation success but need small amounts of funding to help them to move forward — and grow.

The OFI Seed Fund

The Seed Fund supports innovative projects that have the potential to advance research, commercial or social concepts relating to the ocean. For example:

conducting preliminary ocean research or feasibility studies

testing new approaches or developing prototypes that advance marine science

developing a new concept, idea, or opportunity in support of ocean sustainability

Eligibility

Applications are welcomed from current faculty, staff, and students at Dalhousie University and/or Memorial University of Newfoundland who are conducting research related to OFI priorities. The fund cannot be used to supplement OFI's large research projects, currently under way.

For full details on eligibility and application procedures, click here.

Seed Fund recipients: helping ideas grow

The OFI Seed Fund has provided 28 projects with financial support, advancing innovative ideas that advance research, commercial and social concepts relating to the ocean.

Dariia Atamanchuk, Department of Oceanography, Revisiting the pressure effect on the carbonate system equilibrium: towards in situ measurements and quality control of pCO2 and pH sensors’ data on gliders, floats and moorings

Erin Black, Department of Oceanography, Towards a better understanding of carbon cycling and sequestration: Quantifying sinking carbon in the Bedford Basin and beyond

Brian Veitch, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, A new technique for human factors research in complex socio-technical operations

Small projects with big potential

The OFI Seed Fund criteria are broad, and we did that on purpose, says Paul Snelgrove, OFI’s associate scientific director. “We want to encourage innovative ideas that help us better understand the issues that challenge the ocean while we also seek solutions that generate economic and social benefits from all the ocean has to offer.

“There’s an ocean of opportunity out there, and we want to attract research projects that tap that potential. As the saying goes, good things come in small packages, and through OFI’s investment, we give these creative ideas, a chance to grow.”

The OFI Seed Fund is available to students, faculty and staff at Dalhousie University and Memorial University of Newfoundland. Projects that receive financing must be completed within 12 months.

“As lead partners in OFI, Dal and MUN wanted to support concepts at the grassroots level, backing ideas created by those who work or study at our post-secondary schools. The program will initially fund a small number of seed projects,” adds Dr. Snelgrove. “But we hope those seeds will bear fruit in catalyzing larger projects, allowing us to eventually expand the program.”